Machine for molding concrete brick



Dec. 12, 1950 5, DE LUCA 2,533,721

MACHINE FOR MOLDING CONCRETE BRICK Filed Jan. 28, 1947 INVEN TOR AT; ORNEY Patented Dec. 12, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

2,533,721 MACHINE F OR MOLDING CONCRETE BRICK Eugene De Luca, Philadelphia, Pa. Application January 28, 1947, Serial No. 724,837

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates to the manufacture of brick and in particular refers to a rapid process for making concrete brick.

Heretofore, ordinary brick has been made by extruding a plastic mass of clay through a forming die, cutting the emerging clay strip into brick lengths, and firing these lengths in a kiln until they have hardened. This process is timeconsuming, and the bricks frequently become misshapen from being cut and handled while still soft, resulting in waste.

An object of my invention is to provide a machine for producing concrete brick, which will remove the occluded air and water from the moist concrete strip by a vacuum process, thereby greatly reduoing the time required for the bricks made therefrom to spontaneously harden. In addition, the machine will cut the strip into brick lengths without deforming them.

Other objects of my invention are to provide an improved device of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly eflicient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, my invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a sectional side elevation of my brickmaking machine.

Fig. 2 is a detailed side section of the vacuum chamber.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the brick slicer.

Referring now in detail to my invention,-

wherein similar designations refer to similar parts, I prepare the concrete brick from a mixture of sand, cement, and water, into which coloring matter may be introduced if desired.

The plastic mixture is fed continuously into a mixing unit, generally designated as B. A screw l rotating within the unit B mixes the concrete thoroughly and extrudes the mass in a continuous strip through a forming neck or die l2, which has the cross-section of a brick. The neck [2 opens into a vacuum chamber, generally designated as D where the plastic mixture is substantially dried. This chamber is provided with exhaust valves I4 along its upper surface. The exhaust valves 14 are coupled all togther or separately to a vacuum tank 16 by a corresponding number of tubes or pipes l8, only one of which is shown in the drawing. The tank I6 is maintained continuously at a vacuum by a pump (not shown). As the moist concrete emerges from the neck l2 it passes between a pair of endless conveyor belts, generally designated as C and E. made of fabric, which conduct the strip along the length of chamber D and finally through an outlet neck 28. During the passage of the strip along the chamber D, most of the air and water occluded in the mass are removed as vapor to the vacuum tank l5. Here some of the vapor condenses as water and is tapped off at idle intervals through tap 23 in the tank Hi, the remainder of the vapor being evacuated. by a pump (not shown). The speed of the vacuum process may be varied by coupling more or fewer of the valves on the tank It to the valves M in the vacuum chamber D, and by regulating the degree of vacuum generated by the pump (not shown). These adjustments are made according to the speed of the moving concrete strip, its moisture content, and its consistency. The conveyor belts C and E serve not only to move the concrete strip but also are necessary to maintain its shape so that the concrete mass does not disintegrate under the influence of the surrounding vacuum and its own internal content of air. The top of the concrete strip is engaged by the lowermost surface of the belt E. The members maintain the tension of the upper belt E, so that the belt bears strongly against the surface of the moving concrete strip.

The strip passing through the outlet neck 20 is very firm and compact but not completely solidified, and may be out easily by a knife 24 mounted on a stand without appreciable deformation. The strip itself seals the forming and outlet necks, l2 and 25 respectively, of the vacuum chamber D against all but inconsequential air leakage.

The cutter 2a is located near the outlet of neck 25! and may consist of a cutter being eccentrically coupled to a drive shaft as by a connecting rod 2%, as shown in Fig. and adapted to cut the concrete strip into brick lengths. These lengths may then be removed on another conveyor belt (not shown) to a location where they can solidify completely and of their own accord.

As is shown in the drawing, the mixer and extruder screw Ill, the conveyor belts C "and E and the cutter 24 are geared or otherwise coupled to a single motor A. With this arrangement, all operations are synchronized regardless of the speed of the motor A, and no pile-up or jam can ensue. The vacuum pump (not shown) is regulated separately, taking into account both the speed of motor A and the moisture content of the concrete mixture.

When properly manufactured, the concrete brick product is smooth and compact, possesses great compressive and sheer strength, and is both fireproof and waterproof.

Although my invention has been described in- 4 chamber, a second forming neck, a brick-length cutter, and means for synchronizing the operation of said mixing and extruding chamber, said conveyor belts, and said cutter.

EUGENE DE LUCA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 837,717 Perry Dec. 4, 1906 ..1,407,703 Norton May 25, 1915 1,593,163 Erdmann July 20, 1926 71,908,658 Dean May 9, 1933 2,165,671 Ward July 11, 1939 Bole et a1. June 5, 1945 

